I Screwed Up My New Chain Installation ...

 

For all those placing bets ... I screwed up.

Everything went according to plan, got the two sprockets in, found why my
gearshift lever had too much play (accidental find and fix), touched up some
corrosion on my swingarm and brake bar ... all great, EXCEPT ...

Spec said that I needed to expand to master link heads to 5.5 to 5.7mm, but
I could only get them to 5.3mm.

When I say that "I could only" what I mean is that I applied an ungodly
amount of torque to the staking tool (I'm still sore), and they just
wouldn't go any bigger.

I did everything by the book, including pressing the master link together so
that there was the required amount of protrusion by the pins before trying
to stake them, using the correct attachments, etc.

I found the tool unwieldly (not enough lever arm).  I side-loaded the chain
quite a bit in the process of trying to get the heads up to spec.

Anyway, the bike is rideable (I put about 20 miles on it today), but I'm not
fully comfortable with the chain.  I'll have the dealership put on a new
chain.

So, let me know who won and who lost money.

I'm fairly happy.  Got 2/3 right.  I had never taken apart the rear wheel
before ... interesting stuff in there.  Had fun.  Learning experience.  The
rear brake is rather interesting.  It is just a cam that forces the shoes
apart.  Somehow I was expecting something more ... sophisticated.

 

David T. Ashley wrote:

You only need a new link, not a new chain.

I'm giving you a 12 out of 10 in the 'effort' column........keep going....

 


Besides, what makes you think the dealer will do it any better?

 

Vito wrote:

Sometimes you have to question specs.  You can't always defer to them
blindly, thinking that they are handed down in stone from on high.  You
need to examine the link and decide whether it's going to be safe with
the amount of spreading you managed, and have some faith in your own
judgement.

 


I can't agree with that statement.  The manufacturer of the chain hardware
probably performed a battery of tests designed to accelerate failure.  The
spec probably represents either the range of sizes found where the master
link won't fail before the rest of the chain hardware and/or the range of
sizes that were actually tested (with no knowledge by the manufacturer of
how smaller or larger expansions will necessarily perform).

I can't agree with ignoring the manufacturer's spec. in favor of my own
opinion.

My own opinion says that it is safe to ride for a little while until I get
the chain redone.  But no longer.

Phrased more compactly ... 5.5 - 5.7 means that 5.499999999999999999999999
isn't good enough.  And 5.3 ceratinly is not.